11 charming restaurants with a garden to eat at while in London

Head outside and find the heat. Tuck into tasty menus at our favourite places in bloom this summer.

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The Cafe At Alexandra Nurseries

Based in a Victorian groundskeeper’s office, Alexandra Nurseries has ramshackle charm in spades. Work up an appetite browsing the selection of native plants and vintage home ware, then head for the cafe. A favourite of Vogue’s Kate Phelan, it serves organic, homemade food beneath a canopy of grapevines.

Estate House, Parish Lane, SE20 7LJ

Image: Alexandranurseries.co.uk/

The Bourne And Hollingsworth Buildings

With all the grandeur of a stately home, the Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings conservatory is full of greenery and natural light. Try the popular weekend brunch for bottomless Bloody Marys and a healthy dose of vitamin D.

42 Northampton Road, EC1R 0HU

Image: Instagram.com/bourneandhollingsworth

Spring

In its ever-sunny setting, Skye Gyngell’s salon (less formal than the main Spring restaurant) has a short but fresh menu, wines by the glass, and a no-reservations policy. Set in an atrium created by landscape designer Jinny Blom, it’s great for post-work cocktails or pre-theatre meals. Don’t miss the seasonal ice creams, with flavours like marsala, toasted almond, and fig.

Somerset House, New Wing, Lancaster Place, WC2R 1LA

Image: Instagram.com/spring_ldn

Blixen

European brasserie Blixen is an oasis on the edge of Old Spitalfields Market. Step through the vine-covered pergola to a terrace featuring cacti and tropical palms from east London florists Grace & Thorn. The slow-cooked lamb with rose harissa is a Vogue favourite.

65A Brushfield Street, E1 6AA

Image: Instagram.com/blixenlondon

The Ivy Chelsea Garden

Housed in a grade II-listed building, the third branch of The Ivy on King’s Road has both a terrace and an orangery. The all-day menu includes classics like whole lemon sole and rack of lamb, but it’s the gorgeous roses and wisteria that monopolise the table conversation.

197 King’s Road, SW3 5ED

Image: Instagram.com/ivychelsgarden

Dishoom

Inspired by the Irani street cafes of Bombay, Dishoom’s indoor-outdoor veranda is perfect for lingering over a sundowner, even if the weather outside is monsoon-like. Relax under hanging ferns while dipping into the selection of old novels, jazz records, and board games. Vogue staffers love the classic Keema Pau buns with spiced lamb and the refreshing Bombay Pimms, an oriental twist on an English classic.

7 Boundary St, E2 7JE

Image: Facebook.com/dishoomlondon

Petersham Nurseries

Petersham Nurseries is known for ingredient-led dishes made with local produce, but it’s the setting as much as the food that keeps us returning. The earth floors and geranium-filled urns complement Damian Clisby and Lucy Boyd’s seasonal Italian dishes perfectly.

Church Lane off Petersham Road, Surrey, TW10 7AB

Image: Instagram.com/petershamnurseries

Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green

Named after a GK Chesterton poem, Paradise by Way of Kensal Green does a good imitation of heaven. Decorated with floral arrangements and graveyard statues, the rooftop is a nod to the well-known cemetery across the way. It’s an ideal place to spot West London’s literati while feasting on roasted quail and dandelion salad or Moroccan duck bisteeya with buttermilk dressing.

19 Kilburn Lane, W10 4AE

Image: Instagram.com/weloveparadise

Clos Maggiore

The partly-French, partly-Italian Clos Maggiore does justice to the continent’s penchant for romance. Raise a glass from one of London’s best wine lists under a canopy of apple blossoms and fairy lights. The braised rabbit shoulder from the Loire Valley makes for a memorable but delicious starter.

33 King Street, WC2E 8JD

Image: Instagram.com/clos_maggiore

The Hoxton Grill

Soho House’s Hoxton Grill is a green haven in the heart of Shoreditch. In the daytime, enjoy a peaceful meal in the orangery, or wait until after sundown, when hanging lanterns light up a buzzy al fresco dining scene. Keep an ear out for guest DJs on Friday and Saturday nights.

81 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HU

Image: Instagram.com/hoxtongrill

The Quince Tree Cafe At Clifton Nurseries

Clifton Nurseries’ Quince Tree Cafe feels like a piece of Oxfordshire in the heart of London. In sunny weather, relax on the terrace with dishes like poached pear, Stilton, and hazelnut salad, or warm up in the conservatory with espresso and handmade pastries on a rainy day. A greenhouse effect we can get behind.